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Confessions of a Cardigan Addict

June 15, 2013 By stacey 10 Comments

Last January I wrote a post for a blog called Together in 10 which was the premiere fashion blog for the mommy crowd. It was such a fun post with the best comments. Sadly, the Together in 10 site died a very unhappy death and so did my post. I’ve been looking for it everywhere on the web, where old posts go to pasture. I have had no luck at all. I did find part of it, this weekend and decided to recreate the post. So here goes…

Hello, my name is Stacey and I am cardigan addict. I suppose I didn’t mean to buy 7 of them. Ok, it is more like 10. But clearly, I did because they are hanging in my closet. Last week I posted my What I Wore Wednesday Post and shared this image:

Then I saw this comment from one of my readers:

My style = your style. Only without all the cardigans. Well, I do wear a few of them. Just not as often as you! – Liza Lee Grace

And then I was all like:

I just realized I have a cardi on in every photo! How funny, but true! – me, the cardigan addict

Suddenly, my eyes were opened. I have a cardigan problem. I wear them nearly every day. I wear them with scarves, over tanks, with t-shirts, to church, and to the grocery story. I have even been known to sleep in them (Just ask my husband).

So what is a girl like me with a cardigan addiction to do? She runs straight to Pinterest to see if there are other easy to wear options for a girl like her. She needs help and she is not afraid to ask.

Here are a few things I or you, if you have a cardigan problem, could wear instead:

1. A cropped denim jacket.

2. A boyfriend blazer.

3. Denim shirt

4. Pull over sweater (so not a cardigan)

Can you tell I mean business? I mean, come on, I’ve gone all Pinterst on my problem. By the way, you can follow my efforts to break the cycle here.

Surely this is two steps in the right direction. I have admitted my problem (Twice now). And, I’ve started looking for ways not to wear a cardigan. I’m trying friends, this is all I can do, right?

I think I can do better. Unless of course, Loft calls and asks me to originate my own Stacey Cardi Collection. Which would be AWESOME. And, so not the point.

Can you help a girl out? Do you have a favorite alternative to the cardigan? I’d love to hear from you on the subject. Unless of course you need to confess, too.

Cause ,I’m hear for you girl. No matter what.

xo,

Stacey

Filed Under: Connect, Pinterest, What I Wore

10 Comments

Sometimes, God Size Dreams Begin With a Whisper

June 11, 2013 By stacey 1 Comment

My God size dream began with a whisper while I was folding laundry. Does God sometimes whisper to you, too? I’m over at my friend Holley’s place today sharing my story. I’d love for you to drop in!

xo,

Stacey

P.S. AND…Mothers of Daughters is all new today! I’ve been working like crazy behind the scenes and it is finally ready! I am so excited for you to see it. After, you go to Holley’s, come on over!

Filed Under: Connect, Encourage, God Size Dreams

1 Comment

4 Books For Saturday

May 25, 2013 By stacey 5 Comments

My Kindle reader is jam packed full with goodness to read this summer. Soon, we’ll be taking a vacation to the beach and here is what I’m excited to work my way through: (FYI: post contains Amazon Affiliate Links, see below)

Quitter by Jon Acuff: My husband and I are reading this book together and loving it. I know Jon has another book out already, but we are fine with being one book behind. Most of the books I read are pretty girlified, so it is fun to be reading this one with Mike. Thanks Jon for writing something we both want to read!

Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle: I have heard nothing but good about this book. I met Melanie last fall at the LifeWay conference called DotMom. So in blogger land, we go way back. She is hilarious and a girl mama. Mike is not reading this one with me, you can probably guess why.

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequest: This book is going to absolutely wreck my efforts to stop eating bread. Plus I don’t even drink wine. However, it is all about love, family, and food. I grew up on these things and I’m excited to indulge my heart in this way. Also, as an added bonus the (in)courage community is going to be reading it, too. It sounds like a party. I’m so there!

Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst: This is the book my family will thank me for reading. Oh sure, they love bread, but they will love a cool tempered mama even more. I’ve known for a while that I needed to make a date with this book and read it with heaps of coffee and maybe a cupcake. I’m done avoiding it. Project kinder, gentler, mommy has begun.

So, what are you reading this summer? I’d love to hear.

xo,

Stacey

Disclosure: This post is full of Amazon Affiliate links. If you click on a link and buy, I’ll get a small compensation that will help me buy more books and things from Amazon that my family will enjoy. Thank you for being awesome like that, as always.

Filed Under: Books, Connect, Ebooks, Grow

5 Comments

What I Wore

May 22, 2013 By stacey 5 Comments

Did you hear that? It is the sound of summer. Ahh, the beach is calling and the ice cream machine is cranking on high. We are ready here at our house. School is out! Woot! Woot! The heat showed up big time this week, but I did manage to wear both of my new cardigans. Same style. Different colors. Do you do that when you find something you like?

Here is what I Wore this week…

I wore this to church Wednesday nigh for a vocal team rehearsal and my two middle daughters’ choir concert. I love a 3/4 sleeve on a cardigan. Can I get a witness on this?

Cardigan: Nordstom’s Rack

Tank: Target

Jeans: Lucky

Shoes: Toms

Silver Bracelet: On the street in Thailand

Sunday Church

Cardigan: Nordstorm’s Rack

Top: Kohls

Pants: Loft

Shoes: Target (So comfortable and not too $$)

Necklace: Dayspring (Redeemed Collection)

Last Day of School!

Are Maxi Skirts the new yoga pants? I’m not sure and I don’t care, I love this one.

T-Shirt: Kohls

Skirt: Kohls

Necklace: {{Together}} by Lisa Leonard for Dayspring

***

Are you ready for summer? What is your favorite summer treat to share with friends while wearing your Maxi Skirt?

I’m in favor of Frozen Yogurt with Oreo Cookies up on top.

Yum.

(linking up with the Pleated Poppy today)

Filed Under: Connect, What I Wore Tagged With: fashion, Style, What I Wore

5 Comments

Meet Here on Mondays and Help Me Write a Book

May 20, 2013 By stacey 22 Comments

I have this crazy idea to write another ebook. In fact, I’ve been working on it for about a year. I’ve bounced my ideas off a few people through my newsletter, leaked a bit of it on my Facebook Page and Tweeted about it. The feedback has been amazing. But something is missing.

You.

You who show up and read blog posts.

You who share my love for coffee and What I Wore Wednesday.

I miss writing to you and interacting with you about what is on my heart.

And now I have another crazy idea.

What are you doing every Monday for the next 10 weeks?

Here is my plan:

You stop by here on Monday for coffee and reading.
I’ll give you a sample of each chapter. (Not the entire thing, just a smidgen of it.)
We’ll process whatever it stirs up.
I’ll keep writing and try to stay ahead of our coffee dates.
Together, we’ll get this book written.
When it is complete you can help me celebrate!

What do you think? Want to help me write a book?

xo,

Stacey

P.S. The working title of the book is “How To Be Okay with Where You Are” and here is the synopsis:

“We all felt the agony of defeat when we watched Jordyn Wieber’s dream of an Olympic gold medal in the gymnastic all around slip through her chalked fingertips during the London 2012 games. Her dream died in a matter of minutes and by fractions of a point. Visibly shaken she took a moment to gather herself. Later she spoke graciously of the tough competition and how proud she was of her American teammates during her post meet interview. Eventually we saw what this champion was made of when she led her USA team to Olympic gold in the team finals. I think we all cried right along with her mom. The thrill of victory is even sweeter when the agony of defeat is still so vivid in our minds.

I love this story because it is just like real life. Dreams that slip away hurt like crazy. The pain is real. Sometimes we have to pull ourselves together and cheer others on as they go for the gold we were hoping to capture. Life doesn’t always go the way we want, and we have to decide in these defining moments if we are going to crumble or not.

I know this feeling all too well.”

Filed Under: Connect, How To Be OK With Where You Are, Writer.Girl, Writing

22 Comments

Favorite Things

May 17, 2013 By stacey 11 Comments

One of my most favorite things of all is a Girls Weekend away. Last weekend, 8 of my friends gathered from all over the country to spend our 21st weekend together in 21 years. Though we’d like to say we started these weekends when we were twelve, the reality is they began back in our college days at Indiana University. It has become, what Lisa-Jo, Emily, and Nester call a “social bench” in my life. I have the sweetest memories with these girls.

Last year, we adopted one of Nester’s other ideas (which is starting to make this post sound stalkerish) called “Favorite Things.” This has quickly become our favorite thing of the weekend. The idea is that you gather with a group of friends and you bring the same gift for each friend. It has to be something you found over the past year that you love and you want to share. I thought you might want to see and hear about some our favorite things:

Target Dollar Spot goodies with recipe cards, glows sticks and the cutest egg turner you have ever seen. Joy in a $1 oven mitt does not have to be expensive.
True Blue Hand Cream from Bath and Body Works that is divine. I was so glad it was only 2.5 ounces because I was worried I could not take in my carry-on bag. People, it has paraffin in it and will make your hands happy.
A reusable Starbucks Coffee cup that gets me 10 cents off when I remember to bring it with me for coffee dates. Oh yeah, a gift that keeps on giving!

An Electronic screen cleaner is much needed because mine are all gooey from kids borrowing all my i – devices. My friend Judy knows this and bought them for all of us moms.
This lip balm called Zumbo-Kiss, buy it in bulk, thank me later.
Shut the door, homemade granola I may or may not give you the recipe for later. It did not even make on the plane. I devoured it.
This book, “A Gospel Primer” (*affiliate link) is going to be worn out this summer by me.

Homemade treats (these Lemon-Melt Aways are AMAZing) and lots of ideas on how to live healthier with Container Store goodness. Now in O-town! Yippee!
My gift to the girls was my fave “Together” necklace from Dayspring *(affiliate link). I think they loved it. (special thanks to Saul at Dayspring for making it possible!)